Initial doubt turns to affection!

After departing Paris, I settled in for my 6 hour trip to Heidelberg, Gemany. The train ride was quite comfortable, and I had a good time until we reached Mannheim, where I was to change for Heidelberg. The platforms were very confusing and I had no idea where to go to get my connection (I had just got the hang of French and now had to adept to German!). With 5 minutes until the arrival of my train, I decided to go look for help in the main station building. There was a line at the info station, but the man at back of the line pointed at the platform on a table of train times. I said 'danke' and off I rushed with two minutes to go to try and make the train.

Heidelberg from the castle

Seconds later that same man came chasing after me, jabbering in German and trying to get me to meet him for coffee of something the next day. I just stared at him in disbelief. There I was lugging a huge and heavy backpack, red in the face and rushing to catch a train that would depart in about a minute, and he wanted to chat me up! Luckily he got general gist of 'not interested' and left me alone when I got to my platform. I don't know what it is with these European men... they see a female tourist and think, 'Oooh, she'll sleep with me!'. How sad.

Troll's first appearance

So I made it to Heidelberg at around 6.30, and after some initial struggles with bus directions I got the youth hostel, which looks just about like a hospital... clean, big and very boring. I had a large dorm with 4 beds to myself, so crawled into bed early and hoped I hadn't made a terrible mistake with coming to Heidelberg.

Woke up today to glorious sunshine and the most spectacular view from my bedroom window. I didn't realise last night, but my room overlooks the zoo next door, so I woke up to elephants splashing around. The hills around the town were green and beautiful, so I went to explore.

Heidelberg has a very impressive and imposing red stone Schloss (castle), so I went to see it. It partly in ruins because it burned down in the 1300s (I think) but the view from up the hill where it is situated was absolutely amazing - you can see all the way up the river Neckar. I met Nathan from the USA there, and we just spend most of the day walking around the castle, its gorgeous gardens and the old town. Heidelberg done and dusted in one day. Tomorrow I think I'll take a hike into the hills!

Wine, anyone?

I decided on a whim not to go to down the Romantic Road of Germany from here as planned, but instead head to Berlin. Everyone I met has recommended it, so of course I can't miss out!

However, this kezboard is now annozing me as the z and y is reversed, so I will paz mz dues and update zou later!

Mareli